Numerous inventors have devised a variety of line slack removing devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 430,581 granted Jun. 17, 1890 to C. M. Kiler for "Wire Tightener" discloses one such device which is intended to be manipulated by a complex and expensive worm gear crank.
W. J. Miller in his U.S. Pat. No. 1,982,444 granted Nov. 27, 1934 for "Line Tightener" discloses a slack remover which is manipulated by a separable handle. The arrangement is such however that the device can be turned with the handle through less than 180.degree., thereby limiting the amount of slack that can be taken up with each throw of the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,261,505 granted Apr. 2, 1918 to J. F. Fitzsimmons for "Clothes Line Tightener" discloses another such device. The Fitzsimmons device is simple and fairly effective for light weight clothes lines but lacks the versatility to be used on heavier wire such as barbed wire fencing.
J. E. Leath in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,221, granted Nov. 8, 1977 for "Wire Tightening Tool" discloses two heavier duty slack removers with removable handles for manipulating the tools. The Leath tools were more difficult to fabricate and awkward to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,434, granted Oct. 20, 1987 to D. G. Fambrough for "Line Tightening Mechanism" discloses a spool type slack remover with a hexagonal projection which is engageable by a wrench to turn the slack remover. Rotating the slack remover with a wrench can be awkward.
Dare Products, Inc., Battle Creek, Michigan has produced a molded plastic wire tightener which functions in much the same manner as the Fambrough mechanism.
There continues to be a need for a slack remover which is both versatile and reliable in operation.